Compact winding device for a flexible line

Abstract

The invention relates to a winding device (10) for a line (1), such as a cable or hose, including a stationary frame (11) and a winding drum (12), which is rotatably mounted on said frame and has an interior (12B). From the outside (12A) of the winding drum (12), the line can be wound or unwound. An inner rotary guide (18) in the interior (12B) guides the line (1) continuously from a fixed point (F) fixed with respect to the frame to a rotation point (R) on the winding drum (12) and defines a line course, having two opposite windings (18A, 18B) about the axis of rotation (A), and a rotatable deflection element (18C), in which the line changes over. According to the invention, the winding drum (12) has a first cut-out (15A) at a first end, on the side of the rotation point (R), which cut-out opens out axially and at an end face, and a retaining part (19B) at the other end, which retaining part is rotationally fixed to the frame, has a second cut-out (15B), which opens outward in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation (A). By virtue of the cut-outs (15A, 15B) in combination with the special rotary guide (18), the line (1) to be wound can be continuously routed without interruption and without rotational coupling or be subsequently attached, from the outside (12A) through the first cut-out (15A), in the inner rotary guide (18) and from the fixed point (F) of the rotary guide through the second cut-out (15B) or vice versa.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A winding device ( 10 ) for winding and unwinding a flexible line ( 1 ) comprising:
 a frame ( 11 ) configured to be stationarily mounted; 
 a hollow-cylindrical winding drum ( 12 ) mounted to the frame rotatably about an axis of rotation (A), the winding drum ( 12 ) forms an internal space and has an outside ( 12 A) on to and from which a line can be wound and unwound; 
 an inner rotary guide ( 18 ) for interruption-free guidance of the line ( 1 ) from a fixed point (F) which is fixed with respect to the frame to a rotary point (R) which is rotationally fixed to the winding drum ( 12 ) and is relatively rotatable about the axis of rotation with respect to the fixed point, and 
 wherein the rotary guide between the fixed point and the rotary point predetermines a line path with two oppositely directed windings ( 18 A,  18 B) with a first winding direction about the axis of rotation (A), a direction-changing means ( 18 C) which is rotatable about the axis of rotation and in which the line is changed over from the one winding ( 18 A) into the other winding ( 18 B) and a second winding direction in opposite relationship to the first winding direction; 
 wherein the inner rotary guide ( 18 ) is accommodated at least predominantly in the internal space ( 12 B) of the winding drum ( 12 ); 
 wherein the winding drum ( 12 ) includes a first opening ( 15 A) at a first end, on the side of which the rotary point (R) of the inner rotary guide ( 18 ) is provided, which opening ( 15 A) opens out at the first end in the axial direction with respect to the axis of rotation (A), and that provided at the opposite second end is a holding portion ( 19 B) which is non-rotatably connected to the frame and which has a second opening ( 15 B) which opens outwardly in a radial plane perpendicularly to the axis of rotation (A) so that a line ( 1 ) to be wound can be laid from the outside through the first opening to the rotary point (R) in the inner rotary guide, in the inner rotary guide and from the fixed point (F) thereof through the second opening and vice-versa. 
 
     
     
       2. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner rotary guide has a line guide device ( 18 ) for receiving the line and wherein the line guide device forms one or more first spiral layers ( 18 A) in which the line is wound about the axis of rotation in the first winding direction, one or more second spiral layers ( 18 B) in which the line is wound in the opposite direction about the axis of rotation in the second winding direction, and a direction-changing arc ( 18 C) which connects the two spiral layers and in which the received line ( 1 ) is changed over. 
     
     
       3. The winding device according to  claim 2 , wherein the line guide device ( 18 ) is composed of individual members which each have at the radial outside a continuous gap which can be expanded to insert the line into the respective member. 
     
     
       4. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner rotary guide ( 18 ) is connected to the holding portion ( 19 B) to provide a guide unit, wherein the guide unit and the winding drum are releasable from each other. 
     
     
       5. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the winding drum ( 12 ) is of a one-piece configuration; or 
 the winding drum is of a multi-part structure comprising a number of releasably connected individual parts; or 
 the winding drum comprising a cylindrical casing comprising at least two casing portions which can be releasably connected; or 
 the winding drum ( 22 C) has an insertion slot ( 24 ) for the insertion of the line, which slot starts from the first opening ( 15 A) and extends continuously to the second end; or 
 the winding drum ( 12 ) is mounted to the frame ( 11 ) releasably at the first end of the drum via a coupling flange ( 19 A). 
 
     
     
       6. The winding device according to  claim 5 , further comprising a drive device ( 16 ) on the frame ( 11 ), the drive device ( 16 ) which in the assembled position is torque-transmittingly coupled to the first end of the winding drum ( 12 ). 
     
     
       7. The winding device according to  claim 6 , wherein the drive device includes a spring drive ( 16 A) for automatically winding on. 
     
     
       8. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding portion is a support disc ( 19 B) with a support region which at least region-wise is in the form of a circular ring and at which the second end of the winding drum ( 12 ) is slidingly or rollingly rotatably mounted on which an inside of the winding drum ( 12 ) is rotatably mounted and/or the holding portion ( 19 B) forms the fixed point (F) that is fixed with respect to the frame of the inner rotary guide. 
     
     
       9. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the frame ( 11 ) has two oppositely disposed holding plates ( 11 A,  11 B), between which the ends of the winding drum ( 12 ) are held; or 
 the frame has precisely one holding plate at the first end of the winding drum, wherein the holding portion is fixed in opposite relationship to a holding shaft which is coaxial with the axis of rotation (A). 
 
     
     
       10. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein there is provided a winding adjustment mechanism ( 14 ) with a guide head ( 14 A) which is displaceable parallel to the axis of rotation for guiding a line during the winding-on operation, wherein the guide head is coupled to the rotary movement of the winding drum ( 12 ) by way of a transmission, so that the winding-on point of the line ( 1 ) on the winding drum is displaced in the axial direction during rotation of the winding drum. 
     
     
       11. The winding device according to  claim 10 , wherein the transmission is a spindle drive ( 14 B). 
     
     
       12. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the winding drum includes a cylindrical casing with a spiral profiling ( 13 ) at the outside for winding on the line ( 1 ) in guided fashion. 
     
     
       13. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner rotary guide, the winding drum and/or the holding portion at least predominantly include plastic parts. 
     
     
       14. The winding device according to  claim 1 , further including precisely one electrical control signal cable and/or power supply cable ( 1 ) which can be wound and unwound, that is guided interruption-free by the inner rotary guide ( 18 ) from the fixed point (F) to the rotary point (R). 
     
     
       15. Use of a winding device according to  claim 1  for the stowage of the line and for winding the line on and off as required, the line which is ready-made or which is already connected at least at one end and/or the line connected to a portable device. 
     
     
       16. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the inner rotary guide ( 18 ) is connected to the holding portion ( 19 B) to provide a guide unit, wherein the guide unit and the winding drum are releasable from each other, wherein the guide unit is completely accommodated in the internal space in the winding drum. 
     
     
       17. The winding device according to  claim 1 , wherein the holding portion is a support disc ( 19 B) with a support region which at least region-wise is in the form of a circular ring and at which the second end of the winding drum ( 12 ) is slidingly or rollingly rotatably mounted with support rollers ( 19 D) on which an inside of the winding drum ( 12 ) is rotatably mounted and/or the holding portion ( 19 B) forms the fixed point (F) that is fixed with respect to the frame of the inner rotary guide.